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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28921785">alright</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/call_me_steve/pseuds/call_me_steve'>call_me_steve</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>dream and wilbur set up one (1) date and now i'm in hell [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Clay | Dream Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Ghost Wilbur Soot, Ghostbur, Hurt/Comfort, JUST BASED ON THE CHARACTERS NOT THE PPL TY, M/M, Past Character Death, Wilbur Soot Angst, bc ghostbur, but also kinda fuck him idk, dream and wilbur went on a date once so now im in hell, it's actually ghostbur, post-Nov. 16, right when ghostbur wakes up ig, told u id forget the tags, watch me post this and remember i have more tags to add smh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:48:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28921785</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/call_me_steve/pseuds/call_me_steve</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ghostbur wakes up for the first time since dying. The first person he finds is Dream.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream/Wilbur Soot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>dream and wilbur set up one (1) date and now i'm in hell [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2118123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>365</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>alright</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>help i kinda sorta ship this unironically and i can't stop-</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There is grass beneath Wilbur's feet and a song in his heart. He has just woken up from a very long rest- or, at least he thinks he has just woken up. It is hard to tell. His memories are muddled and he finds that he cannot think clearly. That is alright. He remembers what is important, like the sword that killed him and the man who raised him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am dead," says Wilbur, to the wind. It giggles at him and tries to tickle his cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The wind does not care about many things. It does not care that Wilbur should not be walking around anymore. It is just happy that it now has a companion to torment. Wilbur is also happy to have a companion. He feels as though he has been alone for a long, long time- which cannot possibly be right, because in every memory he has, he is with someone; whether it be his brothers or his friends or his son or his dad. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn't even alone when he died- oh, how lucky he is!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wilbur holds out his hand and allows the wind to settle into his empty palm. He imagines that its voice sounds British, sort of like Tommy's or Tubbo's; it tells him, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Terribly sorry,</span>
  </em>
  <span> as it upsets his hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't be sorry. I don't mind." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He truly does not. His smile is wide; it is something he has missed. (Why has he missed it? He smiled as he died- he- he smiled a lot.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The wind, in response, caresses his skin and then rushes away. This happens over and over again, like a dance, and Wilbur finds himself laughing. Laughing is not something that he has done in so very long, too, though he remembers it clearly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps he is thinking like this because he has been reborn. His old life- the one where he laughed and smiled and loved- is unreachable, now. Wilbur is someone new. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That means he is no longer Wilbur. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I think I'll need a new name," he tells the wind, quiet as a mouse. "I don't know what it should be." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if trying to make a point, the wind whistles beneath his feet. They don't touch the ground anymore because Wilbur is dead and therefore not completely corporeal. And, oh! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're a genius!" says Wilbur. The wind shimmies in reply, curling around the base of his neck. "I'm </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ghostbur!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Not </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alivebur!"</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes; for Alivebur died to Philza Minecraft and now Ghostbur has taken his place. He is going to start anew and that begins with returning to all of his friends. They will be ever so happy to find out he is alive; Ghostbur is certain of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He asks the wind if it, too, would like to join him. It does not answer this time, so Ghostbur departs on his lonesome. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That is alright. It is, after all, a good lonesome. The birds sing in the trees and the grass sways in what little breeze remains. There is a skip in Ghostbur's step as the sun beams down on him, smiling ever so widely. The Earth seems happy that Ghostbur is here. It is trying to welcome him home in every way that it can. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wants to cheer, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hello, world! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Perhaps it will sing back, in that wondrous song that only it knows. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he can, however, he sees someone- they stand just atop the hill that looks over L'Manburg. Ghostbur hadn't realized that he was so close to his nation. For a moment, Ghostbur only watches this someone, taking in their lean physique and their outfit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whereas Ghostbur wears a soft yellow sweater, his dark red beanie, and black jeans and boots, this someone wears a green sweatshirt, the hood pulled up over their head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ghostbur knows, immediately, who it is, and feels his heart swell. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It is Dream! </span>
  <em>
    <span>His</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dream! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh,</span>
  </em>
  <span> this is the Dream that Ghostbur has missed; (but why would he have missed him, if they are still together?). He finds himself giddy with excitement just seeing him. All of the nights they spent together; the afternoon picnics and evening songs; the early morning meals they shared. All of it crashes into Ghostbur like waves and he wants to sing ever so loudly, in hopes that Dream will hear and will begin harmonizing with him once more. He imagines Dream's freckled face peering over at him, a slight smile dancing on his lips. He imagines Dream's eyes glinting in the sunlight, his hand holding Ghostbur's. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>None of this can happen if Ghostbur does not move. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So, Ghostbur </span>
  <em>
    <span>moves.</span>
  </em>
  <span> His first few steps are as slow as a snail; then, he picks up the pace until he is running, faster and faster. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Dream!" he shouts, smiling so wide that his cheeks begin to ache. Dream turns and Ghostbur cannot see his expression beneath the white of his mask. That does not matter- no, Ghostbur </span>
  <em>
    <span>slams</span>
  </em>
  <span> into Dream and wraps his arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. The hug is a mesh of </span>
  <em>
    <span>soft, soft, soft,</span>
  </em>
  <span> although Dream makes no movement to hug him back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a few moments, Ghostbur pulls back himself, hands anchored over Dream's shoulders. "Hello, Dream," he says. "I'm so very happy to see you!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He expects Dream to peel off the mask; to smile and to say, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hello, Wilbur.</span>
  </em>
  <span> (Then, Ghostbur will correct him and let him know that he has changed. That does not mean that their </span>
  <em>
    <span>relationship</span>
  </em>
  <span> has to change, of course.) </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dream does none of those things. Rather, he yanks out of Ghostbur's hold, </span>
  <em>
    <span>shoving</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ghostbur away. "What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell?"</span>
  </em>
  <span> he asks, and his tone is so very confused that Ghostbur cannot make himself feel upset. Dream just does not understand. That is all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That is </span>
  <em>
    <span>alright.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Look," says Ghostbur, reaching for Dream's hand. "I'm back!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Wh- </span>
  <em>
    <span>How?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I didn't-" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ghostbur cocks his head to the side. "You didn't...?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dream gestures erratically at Ghostbur. "I didn't do </span>
  <em>
    <span>this,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> he explains, incredulous. "I wasn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>going </span>
  </em>
  <span>to bring you back. So, </span>
  <em>
    <span>how-?"</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>There is a sharp pang that races through Ghostbur's heart. He closes his eyes and presses his hand to his chest, and, as quickly as it appears, it is gone. Ghostbur looks back up and finds himself looking at Dream. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh!" he says. "Hello, Dream!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few beats of silence pass between them. Then, Dream says, "...hello, Wilbur." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gently, Ghostbur shakes his head and taps the pad of his finger to roughly where Dream's nose should be. "No, silly, I'm Ghostbur now! Alivebur is gone!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ghostbur spares the tone no thought. Rather, his eyes skirt their surroundings and then he says in a whisper, "There's no one around! You don't have to wear your mask!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without comment, Dream's hands rise up to push back his hood and to slip off the mask. He is not smiling, beneath it, but his eyes look faintly glassy. His lips are pressed into a thin line; yet, Ghostbur finds himself once more counting Dream's freckles, instead of trying to figure out what could make Dream so upset. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"There you are!" he laughs, clasping his hands together. "Has anyone told you that you look lovely today?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I- No," says Dream. His hands reach out and ghost- (haha!)- against Ghostbur's arms. He is checking to make sure that Ghostbur is real- which he is! Once Dream's gaze finishes sweeping him over, top to bottom, they settle on Ghostbur's own eyes. "Same to you." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ghostbur's smile increases tenfold. He is not sure how to correctly express the emotions rushing through his body, so instead, he leans forward and pecks Dream's cheek. When he withdraws, he watches Dream's hand rise up to where Ghostbur's lips had touched skin, and- </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then, Dream laughs. It is a beautiful laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my Gods," says Dream, hands wrapping around his stomach. "It really </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> you." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ghostbur wastes no time, after that. He sets his arms around Dream's neck and listens to the song in his heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That is alright. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It</span>
  </em>
  <span> is alright.</span>
</p>
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